The mega-metropolis of the central altiplano (Andean plateau), bustling Huancayo mixes its modern facade with a strong underlying sense of tradition. For many, this self-confident, cosmopolitan city will be their first experience of the Peruvian highlands – it stands within a lush valley on an exciting overland mountain route to Cuzco – and while its charms are less obvious than those of other Andean locales, Huancayo does not disappoint.